RED EARTH

by ed bruce edbrucedvegas@yahoo.com

The UNLV Symphony Orchestra Concert lll, Red Earth, musical director / conductor Taras Krysa. This at UNLV'S Artemus Ham Hall. Perfect !

UNLV has no football team, no baseball team but they do have a basketball team and they do have a symphony, obviously the best of the group.

Three pieces...it started on time Tuesday, short intermission, small appreciative crowd, Mozart 35, Wagner and Baley (RED EARTH).... aWONDERFUL choice of sounds.....so many smphonys to be heard, so little time....I got three last night. The excellent program included the times of the pieces .....17.....19....34 ......minutes....great for the old score keeper....thanks.

Imagine the work load for Krysa to put this together, or anybody assigned the task....RED EARTH....a new piece by staffer Virko Baley....inspired by a trip to Sedona, Arizona composed for the new Juilliard Ensemble....complicated, difficult, and lovely and fresh. New Sounds ! The program entailed the instrument lineup to include 1 flute doubling on piccolo and alto flutes, 1 oboe doubling on English horn, 1 clarinet doubling on bass clarinet, 1 bassoon, 2 horns, 1 trumpet, 1 trombone 1 tuba , harp, celesta, percussion, timpani, and strings. Never heard that lineup before and may never again unless I hear this piece again....hope I do. RED EARTH asked me the question, where in the orchestra did these sounds come from....I looked....I listened....I still wonder....but is not that the question the composer asks me. THANK YOU. Baley I met in Utah 1984 as conductor, 1994 as Nevada conductor and now he graduates to composer and staffer at the UNLV faculty.....great to my 71 year old hero still working his genius !

Biggest negative here still the audience parade and in concert video games they play....we must confiscate all devices at the door...the only solution.

99 A+